
rare 5J\5j! 

Book llL^ 
Copyright N°_ 



COFCTtlGUT DEPOSIT. 



THE 
CALL OF LIFE 




BY 

WM. L WHITE 



THE H&c 

CALL OF LIFE 



By WM. L. WHITE, B.S., M.E. 

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 




'& Q 



Copyrighted 1922 






IC1AG93G64 




WA. L. WHITE 



THE CALL OF LIFE 

By WM. L. WHITE 



Published bv, 

A. H. CATHER PRINTING CO. 

Birmingham, Alabama 



CONTENTS 

Chapter Page 

(1) Everybody Has a Calling 9 

(2) What is your Hobby? 12 

(3) A Vision of Life 20 

(4) Seeking an Education 24 

(5) Guard Your Habits 31 

(6) Believe in Yourself 33 

(7) Ambition is Necessary 37 

(8) Be Enthusiastic _ 39 

(9) Responsibility Makes a Fellow 43 

(10) Four Trouble Chasers 46 

(11) Let Your Conscience Cast the Deciding Vote 50 

(12) Develop your Talents 52 

(13) Association Moulds Character 56 

(14») The Triple Problems 58 

(15) Resolutions, Maxims or Mottoes 62 

(16) Time for Action 75 

(17) Whittling the Pegs 77 

(18) Always Busy 79 

(19) Twentieth Century Opportunities 82 

(20) A Nerve and a Shingle _ 86 

(21) Statesmanship as a Calling 88 

(22) Benefits of Hobnobbing 89 

(23) Blazing the Way 92 

(24) Shoulders Together 93 

(25) Constructive Criticism 94 

(26) Choosing a Name 95 

(27) Jumping the Hurdles [ 99 

(28) Plan your Life 101 

w n 



F REFACE 

Having been out of college six years strug- 
gling in the college of life, the business world, 
and taking an interest and an active part in the 
Boy Scout movement, the Y. M. C. A., the frater- 
nal and church world, civic and political life, and 
being deeply interested in human nature and par- 
ticularly the young life of America, I have caught 
an inspiration on this the 8th day of May, 1921, 
when this book is started, being my 26th birth- 
day; to pen my efforts together with the hopes 
that I may at least scratch the surface on the 
vital subject of "The Call of Life" whereby some 
seeking fellow may be benefited by my little ex- 
perience. 

There are literally thousands of boys, girls, 
men and women, who are continually changing 
jobs, never contented or satisfied. The big rea- 
son for all this changing is that most of them 
have never found their calling or big asset in life, 
and are not properly placed. They are simply 
round pegs in square holes or square pegs in 
round holes. 

This subject embraces an unlimited magni- 
tude and vibrates with most wonderful and ser- 
viceable opportunities, and if America and hu- 



manity expect to reach their, high standards of 
life, a diligent study must be made of this 
problem, with the object in view of devising a 
constructive solution whereby the rising genera- 
tion can take hold and find its call. 

Having found my calling early in life, I dedi- 
cate this book to my Father and Mother, who 
made it possible more than anyone else and who 
purposely paved the way whereby a mere lad 
could discover his big asset, find his call and be- 
gin to plan his life's work. 

WM. L. WHITE, 
Birmingham, Ala. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 1. 
EVERYBODY HAS A CALLING 

From childhood almost up to the present 
time I have been taught and led to believe, (not 
by any particular school, church, individual or 
parents), that the only people in the world that 
have a calling are the preachers. This idea and 
belief, which drifted into my mind and stuck, 
probably is due to the fact that from childhood 
even on up to the present time I have been hear- 
ing sermons by preachers who included among 
other things, the way they were called to preach. 

Now, what I am saying about the preachers 
is no reflection on them or their profession, be- 
cause I am a firm believer that they are called. 
The point I am driving after is that everybody 
is called and that there is a call to every pro- 
fession. 

The doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, man 
or woman of every profession is called, and each 
in his respective profession should consider his 
calling as the preacher does his; that is, in a 
more conscientious way and become fully con- 
victed. 

God has so endowed us with talents, instincts, 
and with a conscience, whereby we can detect 
our calling in life, and if people would only heed 
their convictions or callings, regardless into which 
profession it led them, there* would be fewer 
failures in life and a happier humanity. 



10 THE CALL OF LIFE 

One of the saddest things in life today, and 
a thing which we see ten thousands of times 
every time we look around, is men and women 
in middle life, yea, some toddling near the edge 
of the grave, who are groping their way in dark- 
ness in this world, when it comes to being in their 
right sphere of work, some of them having spent 
their three score and ten years in this world 
without having found themselves. This is a 
wasted life and if only these people could have 
found their calling in early life, when their 
potential possibilities were unlimited, how much 
more pleasure and enjoyment would they have 
gotten out of life. They could have given more 
and been a larger benefactor to their associates, 
family, neighborhood, town, and to the world, 
and within all probability the world would have 
been advanced centuries had all this wasted ef- 
fort of all the misfits been collected and properly 
utilized. 

The pity of the situation is that in early life 
so many boys and girls choose to follow the road 
of the least resistance. They may have jobs 
which are paying fairly well and at the same time 
they have convictions and a magnetic impulse 
that tells them all the while that they should be 
following another profession, and in many in- 
stances they are not really satisfied with their 
present job, but rather than to pay the price in 
order to fit themselves for the new profession 
wherein their life call lies, they stay in the rut 



THE CALL OF LIFE 11 

and continue to draw their apparently handsome 
salaries, and in later life find themselves dis- 
satisfied and constantly making changes all along, 
and at the end of their life's journey, are not 
able to show where they have multiplied the tal- 
ents with which they had so generously been 
endowed. 

The hireling spirit is exemplified too fre- 
quently in all walks of life. The person who 
practices such a habit will soon drift to his levei 
in the lower strata. If he were not blinded to 
the fact, he would see the error of his way, and 
realize that success is never found on that road. 
To have a job or position and to state that, if it 
just were not for making the money you would 
quit it, is the heighth of foolishness. We must 
learn to adapt ourselves to new conditions and en- 
vironments, banishing all thoughts which border 
on the hireling spirit, and remember that pro- 
motion comes to those who love their work. 

If you have found the job or profession which 
fits your talents and wherein your interests are 
focused, and if you are contented with your work, 
you should consider it your calling, and ever be 
on the guard to defend it as such, and guard well 
your station and play your game with joy. While 
you can be contented, you should never be satis- 
fied until you have gone to the top in your pro- 
fession, and remember that success is not success 
until you have put your all in the proposition with 
which you are connected. 



12 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 2 

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY? 

Everybody has one or more hobbies, some are 
outstanding more than others, and some have 
been pursued and developed more than others, 
but to bring it down home, have you thought, 
"What is your hobby?" 

Yes, boys have hobbies too. Just as I start- 
ed this story one of my Boy Scouts came into my 
office and I asked him what was his hobby. He 
immediately replied, "Flying kites." He said, 
"Give me a kite and enough cord and I would fly 
kites all day." This boy was exactly right be- 
cause he veritably enjoys flying kites and has the 
reputation of being the best kite flyer in his part 
of the city. 

It very frequently happens that a boy carries 
his hobby on to manhood and in many instances 
develops it into a profession and thus makes his 
living. Of course, when a hobby develops into 
a profession, generally speaking, it ceases to be 
a hobby and other hobbies are gradually but un- 
consciously, acquired by such persons. 

In reflecting back over my childhood days, 
1 picture a brother of mine who was a "dead" 
throw at birds and rabbits with a rock in his 
hand and with bullets in his sling shot. There 
were several large oak trees in our yard which, 
of course, was a tempting foraging and chatter- 



THE CALL OF LIFE 13 

ing place for "blue jays," but if one ever escaped 
from this land of milk and honey, where acorns 
were so abounding, without a broken wing, shat- 
tered leg, or tailess tail, he was thankful and 
always remembered that feasting on acorns in our 
neighborhood could only be done with any degree 
of safety in the early morning or while the boy 
with the sling was in school. 

Today this same brother who in youth was 
such a terror to the "blue jays," has reached his 
twenty and eighth year and while he has put away 
the sling shot, only to substitute a six-shooter 
pump shot gun. His profession is not hunting, 
and you could not say he is a fanatic on it, be- 
cause he is not, but hunting can well be defined 
as his greatest hobby and from such he derives 
much of his pleasure. 

The hobby of one of my boyhood chums was 
playing doctor. He had gathered all of h?<s 
mother's empty medicine bottles, as well as a few 
that were not empty, and established his office 
and drug store in a large goods box out in the 
back yard. All spare hours were spent in this 
drug store making and mixing medicines and ex- 
perimenting on the lower forms of animals. 
Quite often death would appear in a mysterious 
way among the dogs, cats, and chickens of the 
surrounding neighborhood, and had an autopsy 
been made of the victims, no doubt many a rod 
would not have been spared from the young boy 
doctor. This same young boy doctor carried his 



14 THE CALL OF LIFE 

hobby with him to manhood and after having 
graduated from one of the leading medical col- 
leges of our nation with the highest distinction, 
he is now a sure-enough doctor giving sure- 
enough medicine to sure-enough people. 

Did you ever see a five passenger "flivver" in 
which only two persons were allowed to ride at 
one time? And it was a taxi too. Being in a 
certain little town one time and having finished 
my business by noon, I was anxious to run over to 
another little town thirteen miles away, in order 
to make quick railroad connections for home. Up- 
on inquiry for a taxi I was told that the rural 
free delivery man ran a public car and that he 
would be in within a few minutes off his route. 
About the time I was well anchored around the 
village postoffice up-tooted the carrier in his 
Ford. His services were immediately acquired 
and in a short while we were measuring our first 
link of the thirteen mile journey. As soon as I 
got into the car I saw a double-barrelled shotgun 
standing at an angle of forty-five degrees on the 
left of the chauffeur. Of course, in an instance 
several reasons why the man would be carrying 
a shotgun flew across my mind. Apparently, at 
first, the most logical one was that he was a mail 
carrier and therefore carried a gun for protec- 
tion. My boylike inquisitive nature caused me 
to ask, "Why the gun?" The friendly driver said 
he always carried his gun to shoot partridges and 
that his thorobred bird dog always occupied the 



THE CALL OF LIFE 15 

back seat of his car. In casting eyes to the rear 
I saw the intelligent-looking dog lying in his re- 
served seat and of course the question of "Why 
the gun?" was completely solved. 

It was only a travel of a few minutes longer 
with a little conversation along hunting lines, 
mixed in with a practical demonstration — as a 
large covey flew across the road in front of us, 
until I was convinced beyond any doubt that this 
rural mail carrier's hobby was hunting and shoot- 
ing birds. Like all good scouts, he was "always 
prepared," having dog and gun at his side, at a 
moment's notice could enjoy the hobby of his 
life, — bird hunting. 

We should not judge people too quickly. 
Outward appearances, first introductions and in- 
formal introductions can greatly fool the best 
judge of human nature sometimes. While 
traveling once I got off a train at a large railroad 
station about two o'clock in the morning, and as 
I entered the depot, and was sitting down, a 
slouchy clad looking lad nearby asked me what 
time certain trains went to certain places. Some 
of his questions were apparently quite foolish, so 
naturally I concluded at once that probably his 
question box was " full of nuts." As I nodded 
along in dreamland for an hour or two waiting 
for connections with a belated train, this lad con- 
tinued his end of a conversation at intervals, but 
on account of not having slept any the night be- 
fore and none up to that time that night, I simply 



16 THE CALL OF LIFE 

ignored him and continued trying to saw wood. 

He finally switched his conversation and at- 
tention to a pencil and notebook and after a few 
minutes dilligently manuveuring with the pencil, 
he handed the notebook to me and to my surprise 
he had sketched a picture of a beautiful young 
lady. It was a complete drawing and looked as 
if it was the production of a finished artist. 

At once my thought and interest were cen- 
tered upon the lad and though he was slouchy 
clad, I discovered that he was a natural born art- 
ist, and while farming was his profession then, 
drawing was his hobby, I reflected that some day 
I hoped to see this diamond in the rough spark- 
ling as one of the world's great artists. 

Here is a fellow who makes his living by 
manufacturing railroad crossties on a large scale, 
but his "pet Ford car" is his hobby. In travel- 
ing forty-five miles through the country with him 
on business once, the major portion of our con- 
versation was about cars or I should say he "had 
the floor" most of the time singing praise to 
Henry ; in fact, he was so enthusiastic and untir- 
ing in his lauding of Henry's machine that I be- 
gan to wonder whether or not he was a paid 
mouthpiece to spread propaganda for this popu- 
lar little car, which in reality needed no further 
advertising. 

In my departure I was advised by this gen- 
teel crosstie man that if I ran across anybody 
who wanted to see a fellow that truly loves a 



THE CALL OF LIFE 17 

"Ford" just send him down his way. I cannot 
only honestly recommend this fellow as one who 
loves a "Ford" but as one whose hobby is his "Pet 
Ford." 

In practically every little town and in nearly 
every suburb of cities there is always from one 
to a dozen men whose hobby is politics. They 
are not always interested directly; that is, they 
hardly ever run for an office, but they covet the 
honor and privilege if such it may be termed, of 
dictating the local politics. They are always 
found on the front seats if not in the chair pre- 
siding at all political meetings secretly or openly, 
and when in such a role they are in the heighth 
of their glory, because they are practicing their 
hobby in a one hundred per cent fashion. 

The political ring leaders only run for an 
office after they have succeeded in laying aside 
enough of this world's goods to assure them of a 
fat living, because their experience indirectly in 
politics has taught them that there are very few T 
political offices that pay a man a living these 
days when so much has to be spent in acquiring 
the office. So in practicing their hobby they 
generally put their friends in the forefront and 
they themselves stay in/ the background, and 
steer the "old political ship as the campaign storm 
rages." 

Most everybody knows many people, big, 
little, old and young, whose hobby is either base- 
ball or football, but here is a fellow whose hobby 



18 THE CALL OF LIFE 

of hobbies is playing croquet. This croquet 
shark happens to be a bachelor of fifty-five and 
he is a merchant by profession in a splendid little 
over-grown country town. He goes to his store 
six days in the week and opens up in the same 
manner as he has been doing for the past thirty 
years, but practically all of his time is spent on 
the croquet grounds, which has been provided on 
the outside of his store, rather than staying in 
his store and dispensing merchandise as in days 
gone bjrf and he has no clerk on the job either. 
In other words, as a result of playing croquet, 
this man's large stock of goods is scattered all 
over the house, nothing being in its proper place. 
He has driven many of his customers off and his 
business is going to pieces, and it is only a ques- 
tion of time when he will be one of the "has-been" 
merchants of his town. While it is true this 
particular fellow, who has already made his for- 
tune, can afford to practice his hobby almost day 
and night, and iri fact allows it to put him out 
of business completely, it is indeed a bad idea and 
by no means a fit example for young people. 
When a hobby begins to get the best of any of us, 
it is high time a little will-power be brought into 
action, and resort to our hobby in a sound and 
sane way. 

There are hundreds of thousands of boys 
and girls today who have little hobbies that need 
to be encouraged for development as they ap- 
proach manhood and womanhood. Many of these 
hobbies are pursuits along the line which the boy 



THE CALL OF LIFE 19 

or girl is most talented and skilled and if properly 
coached can easily be merged into a life profes- 
sion. 

If we expect to stop this haphazard way of 
people finding their field of work and prevent so 
many round pegs from getting into square holes 
and vice-versa, we must get at the foundation by 
giving particular attention to the youths of our 
land and help them work out their vocation. 

It is not always true that a childhood hobby 
can be developed into a manhood profession, but 
in many cases it can — if properly coached. 

Every father and mother should give close 
attention to the traits and talents, which their 
child may have, and for instance, say a boy likes 
to build wagons and play with amateur machinery, 
and wishes to build his own shop, though it may 
be nothing more than a goods box, he should be 
encouraged with his hobby. The chances are 
that manhood will find him studying engineering 
at college and the world may be given a great 
engineer. 

One great advantage of a manhood hobby 
is the diversion and change of mind which the 
practice of such a hobby will give to a business 
man, all of which is necessary and beneficial in 
order to enjoy a well rounded life and career. 

Every person whose hobby is only practiced 
to a nominal degree, should revive it, coach it, 
practice it, and enjoy it more, and when this will 
have been done, you will find yourself pursuing 
your regular profession in a more vigorous way, 
and life will be brighter all the while. 



20 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 3 

A VISION OF LIFE 

The trouble with so many people in this 
world is that they live in such a circumscribed 
sphere, not only physicially but mentally. It is 
very essential that we, in the days of our youth, 
begin to get a vision of life in its every phase. 

While it is true our vision will probably be 
limited according, to our experience and educa- 
tion, the essential element is the thinking habit — 
experience in this instance, among other things, 
being defined as to age, travel, and association, 
and education not only being confined to book 
knowledge but education in the broadest sense of 
the word; that is, knowledge gained in every 
direction as to world affairs, and> everything 
which comes your way. 

One of the greatest needs today is for peo- 
ple to get a vision of the possibilities of their 
own lives, and to realize the potential powers 
which they embody, and to do this, the element 
of thinking must play its part first. I believe 
one of the greatest drawbacks to the world todav 
is that people are afraid to pay the price to do a 
little thinking. 

We are proud to be living in this progres- 
sive age. Today we see science playing its part 
in a thousand and one ways, and the world fifty 
years ago would not have dreamed of the accom- 
plishments of today. I would not discount this 



THE CALL OF LIFE 21 

great progress in the material world, but on the 
other hand I would give it a boost. However, in 
this forward step, one of the greatest moves 
which the young people of today could take lead- 
ing toward progressive living, would be to set 
aside a few minutes each day and meditate over 
their life's work, taking stock, analyzing their 
accomplishments and planning their future goal. 
A true story is told of a little instance that 
happened at a boys' school. The boys were ex- 
cavating under one of the houses for the purpose 
of erecting a furnace. They were digging the 
dirt and shoveling it out of a two foot square 
window. In their digging they discovered a 
large rock which was several times larger than 
the window opening, and they knew it would not 
do to dynamite the rock and they could not peck 
it to pieces, so everybody was puzzled and disturb- 
ed as to how to remove the rock and to finish the 
job. A certain little boy who was always at- 
tending to his own business, off to himself medi- 
tating and thinking when other fellows would 
be out into some mischief having what thev 
called a good time, came along and suggested 
that he knew how the rock could be removed. 
The boys did not believe that he could tell them, 
but in that they had gone to their ends' row they 
were willing to take anybody's suggestion and 
they eagerly asked this chap how it could be done. 
The little fellow suggested that they dig a large 
hole beside the rock, throw the dirt out of the 



22 THE CALL OF LIFE 

window, roll the rock into the hole and thereby 
bury it and get it out of the way. His suggestion 
was accepted and it solved the problem. 

This is a fit example for us to follow. In 
other words, the practice of keeping a silent 
tongue and listening ear, coupled with real think- 
ing, is a wonderful habit for us all, and when 
practiced judiciously, it will help solve our prob- 
lems and spells success to all in a big fashion. 

In getting our vision and taking this pro- 
gressive step, we must be honest to the last detail. 
In a certain high school championship football 
game, the game was drawing to a close and one 
side was one touchdown ahead of the other. The 
ball was kicked and returned for a touchdown and 
thus tied the score. Some players on the oppo- 
site side claimed that the ball had been touched 
before the player picked it up) and ran for the 
touchdown. Both referee and umpire did not see 
the ball touched, and therefore were going to 
count the score. One of the boys on the team 
that made the score, stepped forward and said 
that he touched the ball and they did not want 
six points that they were not entitled to. Now, 
it took courage for this boy to tell the truth and 
lose the six points which also meant the losing of 
the game, but this is the kind of boys and girls 
that the world is needing today 

We need boys and girls of the heroic type, 
who are seeking a vision of life ; those who have 
the courage to stand for the right regardless of 



THE CALL OF LIFE 23 

criticism, and those who, when weighed in the 
balance, will not be found wanting. 

We must be loyal to our visions and many 
times to do so it takes courage for one to stand 
up for his conceptions and ideas, particularly in 
this day of change when one is so liable to be 
hailed as impractical and old-fashioned. 

The world is yearning in its anxiety for 
proper development, for men who can think real 
thoughts and thoroughly disentangle the truth 
from the web of falsity and chance, who can test 
their thoughts and deeds in the acid bath of ser- 
vice and whose minds are open to inspiration and 
conviction from all sources and who will go forth 
cheerfully to battle for the things' that need to 
be done, and gain the victory of life. 



24 THE GALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 4 

SEEKING AN EDUCATION 

In talking with our parents and grandparents 
we readily realize the limited opportunities which 
they faced in securing an education and prepar- 
ing for life's duties. In spite of these handicaps 
and difficulties, many of our parents have striven 
to the top and left their marks on the pages of 
history. 

It should be, and is in most cases, the ambi- 
tion of all parents for their children to be bigger 
men and women than they themselves are, and 
that there shall not be left undone anything with- 
in their realm which goes to the uplift, growth and 
education of their children. 

Regardless of which station in life you hail 
from, whether your family be rich or poor, edu- 
cational advantages are yours to pursue and suc- 
cess is in sight if only you will do your part. In 
seeking an education all roads will not be flowery 
beds of ease, and many problems will have to be 
solved, and miles and miles of road will be rough- 
ened with cobblestones. 

In reviewing my high school and college days, 
this book would not be complete if the history of 
a certain group of four boys were not related. 
These boys came from a family of splendid father 
and mother, but one with which poverty had had 
its sway. They were raised on a hilly farm locat- 



THE CALL OF LIFE 25 

ed in the backwoods of the remotest backwoods, 
thirty miles from a railroad. These boys were 
only privileged to attend school about six weeks 
of each year, but early in life they got a taste of 
books, sensed the future, and ambition stirred 
their souls. 

Each of the four boys being over twenty- 
three years of age, the oldest in his thirties, fi- 
nally reached high school. They rotated amongst 
themselves in going to high school, two of the 
boys attending school one year, their expenses 
being paid by the other two who worked on the 
farm. At the end of the first year the two boys 
that entered high school, secured a license to 
teach in the rural schools. They taught school 
during the next year, paying the expenses of the 
other two brothers who had worked the previous 
year, as they took their places at school. This 
process of rotating, teaching and going to school, 
continued throughout a period of seven or eight 
years, but the day finally dawned when all four 
of the boys received their high school diplomas. 

While in high school these boys set their 
stakes for something higher and said that nothing 
short of a college degree would suit them. They 
taught school for two years after having finished 
high school, saving every dollar possible, and co- 
ordinating their plans to enter college. All at 
one time the four boys picked up and bought tick- 
ets to two college towns, three of them going to 
one place to study agriculture and the other going 



26 THE CALL OF LIFE 

to another university to study law. It happened 
that two of the boys were married and, inciden- 
tally, one of them had three children, and being 
versed considerably in home life and having had 
the experience in high school days of running a 
boarding house, these two married boys opened 
up boarding houses in the college town where 
they landed, and the third boy at this place lived 
with one of his brothers, and helped around the 
home in every way possible. They had all the 
boarders they could take care of, andj thus de- 
frayed their expenses through college and assisted 
their fourth brother through the other university. 

The time swiftly passed by and each boy re- 
ceived his respective degree. Today one is a 
prominent lawyer, two are successful principals 
of agricultural vocational high schools and the 
fourth is a professor of agriculture in one of the 
leading colleges of the South. 

I have told the incident of these four boys, 
because without a doubt,\ it is one of the most 
striking examples that has been evidenced in this 
generation, of poor boys seeking an education and 
"putting it over" in a successful manner. 

The boy or girl today without an education 
is rapidly becoming a back number. This is a 
day of specialization, and unless you have fitted 
yourself for your particular calling, the chances 
are you will mope through this world, not only in 
a rut, but in the bottom of the rut. You cannot 
hope to compete with the fellow who has special 



THE CALL OF LIFE 27 

training, and it will only take time for you to 
find yourself watching the other fellow march to 
the top of life's successful ladder, while you are 
left behind in the trail of his dust. 

We need in the business world today men who 
have had an education as broad as the land can 
give, and we must look to our colleges to produce 
this sort of men. There is one danger that boys 
right out of college fall into. They think they 
know it all. This is a natural thought, because 
their responsibilities have been peculiar only to 
college men, and they have not had the opportuni- 
ties to rub up against the business world. In the 
face of this, the college, nevertheless, does give 
the broad, preliminary training and breadth of 
mind which is essential in every progressive busi- 
ness firm, and each concern, if properly managed, 
should establish its own post-graduate school of 
business administration for the new recruits just 
out of college. 

Seeking an education should be our constant 
practice regardless of which avenue of life we are 
traveling, and we should always be endeavoring to 
educate ourselves upon all problems with which 
we may come in contact. A great many of our 
failures in life can easily be attributed to the one 
fact that men tackle problems without educating 
themselves on that particular proposition before 
they undertake to handle it. Before trying to 
solve any problem which is somewhat new or 
likely in another sphere from which you are fa- 



28 THE CALL OF LIFE 

miliar, you should make full investigations, not 
only on the first floor, but go down in the cellar 
and thoroughly educate yourself in its every rami- 
fication before taking steps in any direction. 

One of the alarming conditions which prevails 
today, and in fact, nothing short of being deplor- 
able, is the large number of boys and girls who, 
at an early age reaching high school, decide to quit 
going to school and get a job out in the world with 
the intention of never finishing their education. 

I appreciate the fact that one of the danger- 
ous periods of any boy's or girl's life is his or her 
teen age, and this being true, it is all the more 
important that the fathers and mothers cooperate 
with their children and the teachers. Too often 
parents are prone to forget their own youthful 
days and do not appreciate a young person's life, 
having lost sight of it altogether, and this, among 
other things, is the great reason why children at 
the teen age period break with their parents' 
views, ideas, and would-be rules. There must 
come a better understanding between parents and 
their children at this dangerous age if we ever 
expect to diminish the large per cent now being 
lost from high schools. 

One of the greatest gifts that parents can 
give to their children is more of their own time 
in the way of association with them, being their 
pals and entering into their plays, joys and prob- 
lems, giving of their full sympathy, guidance and 
advice, and if only this were done by every parent 



THE CALL OF LIFE 29 

throughout the world, there would be an astound- 
ing change for betterment in the rising genera- 
tion. 

The Bible tells us that knowledge and wis- 
dom are better than gold. This being true, so 
may we remember that man never graduates from 
the college of life, and he who stands still in the 
way of seeking knowledge or further education, 
will soon decay mentally and retrograde mater- 
ially. 

We must use and exercise our minds or else 
they rust. To the college man or woman, may I ad- 
monish upon graduation that wherever you land 
and in the specific field of work which you are 
pursuing, that you be ambitious to be the leader in 
your profession ? 

While you have acquired a degree, just re- 
member that upon graduation you are beginning 
or commencing your life's work, this being the 
reason we call the close of school Commencement. 

Some professions require more study than 
others, but there is ample room for research 
work and continual study in every field of endea- 
vor, and all college men, as well as every man, so 
far as that goes, should map out a plan of study in 
order that he may fit himself for life's duties in 
a bigger way, and give more to the world than he 
otherwise would be able to give. 

Education does not necessarily mean the 
storing of so much knowledge in one's mind, re- 



30 THE CALL OF LIFE 

membering the minutest details, but in the big 
sense and in reality the educated man is one who 
knows how to put his hand on the material and to 
find what is wanted when problems are to be 
solved. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 31 

CHAPTER 5. 
GUARD YOUR, HABITS 

One of the commonest assertions we hear 
men make is that such and such a person 
has formed a bad habit, so we have come to view 
this expressive word as meaning something bad 
and invariably associating it with unpleasant 
things. Habit is neither good nor bad in itself, 
as it can be either. There are infinitely more 
good habits than there are bad ones. This, per- 
haps, is the reason why bad habits in many in- 
stances are so outstanding or prominent. 

The ideal standard of living will not permit 
bad habits, because they offend the moral sense 
of mankind, injure the bodily health and under- 
mine the spiritual fibre of the individual. This is 
why all normal men and women, as a rule, frown 
upon, deplore and despise the practice thereof. 
People take particular note of good habits only 
when some favored person carries his enthusiasm 
for the good habit to a superlative degree or to the 
extreme in its application. 

Granting that there are infinitely more good 
habits than there are bad ones, it is well that we 
always be on the guard. It is so easy for a per- 
son, particularly young people in their formative 
stage, when they are building character, to be led 
into the practice of evil habits; and unless that 
thought guard is present the bad habit, even 
though small to begin with, and probably semi- 



32 THE CALL OF LIFE 

innocent, will grow and is liable to lead on to some- 
thing worse, and before one realizes it the struc- 
ture which has been laid for the building of char- 
acter, will have been torn asunder and the whole 
foundation shattered. 

Everybody, the big, little, old and young, is 
subject to influence from his associates, and thus 
we see character to a great extent is moulded by 
association. This is a practice that so many people 
are unconscious of until some event in their life 
reaches a climax. It may be suffering, humility, 
shame, financial loss, and sometimes the loss of 
life. This covers a broad field and that is why it 
is all the more important that we guard our act- 
ions in choosing our associates. 

We should take stock of our good and bad 
habits, and should remember that an individual's 
own point of view in differentiating between the 
good and bad may be wrong. It is possible that 
we have been practicing a certain habit which we 
consider within itself innocent and good, (but 
when studied from every standpoint, our views 
may be changed and we are persuaded by our bet- 
ter judgment to reverse the habit altogether by 
cutting it out and substituting one which in the 
new understanding is really worth while and good. 

Guarding our habits is a great habit itself, 
and may we ever realize and consider it as a most 
valuable asset, remembering that when practiced 
in a discerning way, it pays dividends in unlimited 
quantities. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 33 

CHAPTER 6 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF 

As little as we think about it, that ingredient 
which we call self-confidence, faith in or believing 
in oneself, makes up a larger portion of all the 
successes in this world. Of the countless men 
and women who have failed, a large per cent of 
them were capable of doing great things, but they 
did not have faith and self-confidence. Success 
was theirs only for the asking, but the go-forward 
spirit and courage was missing. 

In order to attain success a man must con- 
tinue to think in terms of success for "As a man 
thinketh, so is he." Generally speaking, we all 
assent but do not act on this belief. Two-thirds of 
the battle will have been won to start with if we 
only believe in ourselves, when undertaking a job. 
I cannot conceive of the world having patience 
with a coward or weakling, and it is impossible for 
others to put confidence in a man's ability when 
he doubts himself. 

The dictionary explains self-confidence as 
confidence in one's unaided powers, judgment, 
ability, etc. In other words, it is belief in one- 
self that he can produce results. There are ten 
thousands of men and women who are now lying 
in failure's grave, and though they had superior 
mental attainments for exceeding those who won 
success along their side, their downfall is marked 



34 THE CALL OF LIFE 

by lack of the essential and single qualification of 
self-confidence. 

When a man insists that he can succeed and 
determines that he will succeed, there is nothing 
in the world that can stop him. There was once 
a fellow who at the age of 34 years, had made a 
considerable fortune and retired from business. 
The idea possessed him to lay a cable across the 
Atlantic Ocean and in spite of the advice of prac- 
tically all the leading scientists that it could not 
be done, he staked his entire fortune on the ven- 
ture. In the face of delays, accidents and revers- 
es, which would have discouraged forty ordinary 
men, his faith in his idea and belief in himself 
kept him ever steadfast at his job. Ultimately, 
the day came when it seemed that success was at 
hand, and he was about to reap the harvest of his 
labors ; then the cable broke in mid-ocean and the 
job had to be started all over again. No, he did 
not give up, and as a result of this unshakable 
faith of Cyrus W. Field, the world has been 
brought closer together by means of the cable. 

Numerous examples could be given of men 
who did great things and won success just because 
they believed in themselves and knew their own 
power, and as a result removed mountains of diffi- 
culties. 

There were probably thousands of ships that 
would have accompanied Christopher Columbus 
westward and their crews would have been proud 
to have braved the hardships and perils, if they 



THE CALL OF LIFE 35 

had only known beforehand what the results of 
the venture were to be. The difference between 
these "would-have-gones" and Christopher Colum- 
bus is that Columbus had self-confidence and was 
ready and willing to stake his all on his convic- 
tions. 

This is so true of life today. We hear men 
remark that if they had known so-and-so before- 
hand that they would have undertaken certain 
jobs also, and too frequently is the statement 
made about men that have attained success, that 
they were lucky and that fortune just came their 
way, when in reality the whole back-ground of 
the situation was that self-confidence and faith 
played an important role, and men were willing to 
stake everything they had on the strength of 
their convictions in their endeavor to win success. 

When the clouds are clear and everything is 
going along smoothly, every man is a potential 
success, but at the sight of a dark cloud above 
the horizon, amidst the flashes of lightning and 
crashings of thunder, the real test comes. The 
weakling or fellow who lacks self-reliance and 
faith invariably rushes to the shelter, but the man 
with courage and belief in himself stands fast and 
defies the very elements. 

Our attitude is what counts. If we carry 
about with us a gloomy air of failure it will only 
take time to measure us in terms of failure. The 
world will not place a trust in the hands of a man 
who cannot trust himself. The very minute we 



36 THE CALL OF LIFE 

lose confidence in our own ability to achieve and 
accomplish results, other people will begin to 
have their doubts. If such feelings come over us 
we can dispel them by maintaining a brave front, 
ever keeping out eyes on the main line, and not 
allowing ourselves to be switched and diverted on 
to the sidetrack of mediocrity. 

In order to prove our convictions and carry 
forth our ideas to a successful conclusion, we must 
have courage for without same a man loses his 
initiative and when initiative is lacking a man is 
powerless for leadership, and when a man is in- 
capacitated for leadership, he is immediately de- 
moted and is only able to do things in a perfunc- 
tory way. 

Sell yourself on the task you have in hand 
and believe in yourself, and then show the world 
how it is done and it will only be a short while 
until you will be traveling in the ranks of success. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 37 

CHAPTER 7. 
AMBITION IS NECESSARY 

Of the many attributes which go to make up 
life, ambition may be numbered as one of the 
foundation v stones. Before an undertaking is 
started, it is preeminently necessary that there 
be ambition behind the movement. 

Ambition, so to speak, comes labeled in two 
forms; that is, just as we have in the engineering 
world two kinds of energy — potential, which con- 
sists of stored up energy, and kinetic, being of the 
moving or constructive type, so we have potential 
and kinetic ambition. Potential ambition ; that is, 
ambition stored up, is alright, if turned loose at 
the proper time, and transformed into the kinetic 
type, but the great danger with potential ambi- 
tion is that by laying dormant for a while it is 
liable to go to sleep and thus remain. However, 
sometimes it is necessary for a person to keep his 
ambition under cover, quiet and free from the 
taints of the world, until some obstacle is re- 
moved or problem is solved which will permit the 
turning loose of his ambition and converting it 
into kinetic form. 

If you have an ambition which is hindered 
from being put into action by minor difficulties, 
by all means look into such problems with the ob- 
ject in view of removing them in order to clear 
the road which leads toward success for the main 
ambition. 



38 THE CALL OF LIFE 

There may be isolated cases wherein persons 
were too ambitious, but if you will trace these cas- 
es down, in a majority of them, you will find that 
their ambition was not properly centered. They 
tried to cover the earth and skim the sea, and did 
not concentrate their forces and educate them- 
selves enough in any particular field, and hence 
their respective downfalls. A person cannot be 
too ambitious if he conducts himself within the 
bounds of reason and prepares himself for pro- 
motion from one ambitious step to the other on 
life's successful ladder along proper lines of en- 
deavor. 

So set your stakes high, but in aiming at 
your goal always keep in mind the preparation 
which is necessary to cope with promotion, and 
like a true scout, "Always be prepared/' not only 
for emergency but in the gradual steps of evolu- 
tion in your particular field of endeavor. 

We all should have some standard in life 
which we hope to ultimately attain, and we should 
continually be bombarding this standard or fort 
with our ambition, and the powder and shell that 
are to be shot in this gun of ambition and which 
will demolish this fort and destroy all fortifica- 
tions and carry us to our objective, are nothing 
more or less than education and preparation. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 3d 

CHAPTER 8 

BE ENTHUSIASTIC 

Enthusiasm can well be called the dynamo 
which electrifies a person and drives the human 
motor towards the goal of success. It is enthus- 
iasm that puts over big jobs. It is enthusiasm 
that produces great inventions, that tunnels riv- 
ers, spans mountain gaps, founds colleges, erects 
hospitals, constructs railroads and builds cities. 

A man with an idea or an ideal is absolutely 
helpless when it conies to steering clear of the 
snags of ridicule and scorn and making a success, 
unless he possesses the dynamo of enthusiasm. 

Be enthusiastic with all of your endeavors. If 
a proposition is worth your time and consider- 
ation, it is worth putting over in a successful man- 
ner, and success is not success until you have gone 
the limit by putting your all into it and above all, 
you must be enthusiastic. 

People like to see a person who is enthusiastic 
with his work, and even though you may be con- 
nected with a proposition with which your friends 
and the world in general are not in sympathy, you 
can win a large number of them by first selling 
yourself on the proposition and then by endeavor- 
ing to sell them in an enthusiastic way. 

We all may not be born with an enthusiastic 
disposition or inclination, but like other habits, 
it can be acquired, cultivated and improved. 



40 THE CALL OF LIFE 

Many good men and women are held down by 
pride and fear. They may have good ideas and 
then fail to succeed, simply because of the false 
pride, which they harbor, and the fear of what 
people would think and say of their actions. If 
only they would muster up some enthusiasm in 
connection with their plans and ideas, they could 
carry them to a successful conclusion. 

You must throw yourself with an immense 
force of enthusiasm into your profession or work 
and make your life effective. If you are working 
for the other fellow, you must show your boss 
that you are enthusiastic about your work, not 
for the sake of show, but really be in earnest 
about the matter, always trying harder to accom- 
plish more and better results. The reason one em- 
ployee accomplishes more than another is not al- 
ways because he necessarily has more ability, 
but the difference is in the effort and the charac- 
ter of the effort: We all will do well to remember 
that to add zeal and enthusiasm to our work not 
only increases the quality of our work but the 
quantity also. 

Once I was boarding with a lady who never 
would admit a vacuum cleaner salesman into her 
home to demonstrate the qualities of his machine. 
She had always said that she did not want a 
vacuum cleaner and would not have one on her 
premises. One day a nicely dressed salesman ap- 
peared at the door and by clever talk received ad- 
mittance for a demonstration of his vacuum 



THE CALL OF LIFE 41 

cleaner, By sheer enthusiasm, he swept all the 
objections put forth by the good lady and almost 
literally took the prospect off of her feet. In his 
demonstration and enthusiastic talk he pictured in 
a most glowing way the wonderful things that 
his cleaner would do. He showed the husband 
who approached during the demonstration, how 
well he could clean his suits, in fact, he almost 
had him believing that he could shave with it. 
Under the spell of this enthusiastic young sales- 
man, this lady who vowed that she would never 
allow a vacuum cleaner in her home, actually con- 
sidered it a privilege to have a chance to buy one, 
and before the salesman left the house her newly 
converted husband placed in his hand a check for 
fifty-five dollars. 

Just as this vacuum cleaner salesman mani- 
fested enthusiasm over the ware which he was 
handling and put over the sale in a successful 
manner, so can men in all professions put forth 
enthusiasm which will measure greatly towards 
their success. 

Enthusiasm is contagious. If you don't be- 
lieve it, try your hand along this line and see if 
it doesn't have some effect upon your associates, 
and upon those with whom you come into con- 
tact. Also, look around and see from whom most of 
your inspiration comes. No, it doesn't come from 
the half-hearted lazy drudge sort of a fellow who 
possesses not an ounce of vim or enthusiasm. 
Neither is that the sort of fellow that you wish 



42 THE CALL OF LIFE 

to pattern after or set as a standard for life. 

The business world, the material world, en- 
gineering world, and in fact, every type of em- 
ployer regards enthusiasm among his employees 
as one of the greatest assets, and the lack of it is 
considered a very detrimental liability. 

Enthusiasm and ambition go hand in hand, 
and after ambition has been aroused, it takes 
enthusiasm to help put it over, so may we awaken 
out of our lethargy and draw near and into the 
current of action, which is fed by the dynamo of 
enthusiasm. 

Every man that has accomplished anything 
great or can measure his life by the yard stick of 
success, has plodded with the determination that 
knows no retreat, and has carried it to the heighth 
of enthusiasm that melts and fuses all obstacles 
along the way. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 43 

CHAPTER 9 

RESPONSIBILITY MAKES A FELLOW 

It is real pitiful to hear a person say that he 
cannot do this and he cannot do that as he does 
not want to assume any responsibility. A fel- 
low who makes such an assertion is simply mak- 
ing and buying himself a permanent berth in the 
station where he then resides, and there is not 
the remotest chance for his ever approaching the 
first step on life's successful ladder, much less 
to ever climb to the top. 

Every man who has made his mark in this 
world has been willing to shoulder his share of 
the responsibility in the various activities with 
which he has been connected. 

In assuming responsibility the story is only 
half told. With the assumption goes, not the bur- 
den, but the privilege of carrying it to a success- 
ful conclusion. Some people are prone to consider 
the carrying out of responsibility a burden, but 
when considered in the proper light, it is really a 
privilege. 

In putting over a responsibility which falls 
to our lot, many times we are ground in the mill 
of hard knocks which automatically is defined as 
experience, and as we profit by this experience, 
so will we be able to make a success of the job 
just ahead as we continue to plod. 

Just "any old body" can make an excuse, as 



44 THE CALL OF LIFE 

excuses are the easiest things in the world to put 
forth,but it takes a real man to flinch not and to 
accept his responsibility and go forth to battle 
against life's problems with the object in view 
of conquering same. 

Lincoln used to relate a little experience 
which he had as a boy that well illustrates the 
man who always has an excuse. He said one day 
when out in the woods with a boy chum a buffalo 
got after them and they both ran, and he being 
long-legged outran the other who was a little 
fellow and whose legs were not quite so long, and 
on coming to the first tree he swung to a limb 
and up in the tree he landed. The little fellow 
came running along behind with the buffalo right 
on his heels, and he could not reach a limb of the 
tree, but the tree happened to be hollow, so he 
ran inside. He did not stay inside, but ran out 
on the other side — the hollow tree having two 
openings, and the buffalo continued to chase him 
for dear life. Lincoln shouted to him and said, 
"You little idiot down on the ground, why don't 
you stay inside the tree," and the little fellow, 
scared half to death, said, "You big idiot up in the 
tree, there is a bear inside." 

This thing we call excuse is nothing more 
than an imaginary bear inside, and bear images 
as excuses are entirely a too common practice with 
a large portion of people. 

It is a happy delight to see a person who has 
the courage to assume responsibility, because 



THE CALL OF LIFE 45 

such a person is traveling in a definite direction 
towards a definite goal, even though he may 
have temporary reverses and there may be stum- 
bling stones along his route, time will soon con- 
vert his mountains of difficulties into temples of 
success. 



46 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 10 

FOUR TROUBLE CHASERS 

The four greatest trouble chasers that a man 
can acquire, practice, develop, and possess are 
music, laughter, smiling, and cheerfulness. 

Music 

While we all may not be gifted with the 
talents of music, I believe every normal person 
with a little determination can develop along mu- 
sical lines on some instrument if it is nothing 
more than a Jew's harp, and if this does not work, 
most assuredly everybody can whistle a tune. It 
is impossible to whistle a tune and have the "down 
and outs" or the "blues" at the same time, and 
to learn to play one or more instruments of music 
is a great asset, it keeps a person in good spirits 
and chases troubles away. 

Only a few years ago the idea of having 
songs on the program at Chamber of Commerce 
meetings and other gatherings of business men, 
was never dreamed of, and I doubt not but if 
someone had suggested a few songs, he would 
have been called a fanatic. The thought of busi- 
ness men singing at their club meetings was 
never suggested, as the general opinion prevailed 
that they "could not carry a tune in a bucket." 

The World War opened our eyes along this 



THE CALL OF LIFE 47 

line and gave a great impetus to singing in mass 
and today it is a common practice for business 
men at their daily luncheons and club meetings to 
sing several songs, and as a result the men seem 
to be brought closer together and a spirit of fel- 
lowship pervades the whole atmosphere; and af- 
ter the meetings adjourn and the men return to 
their respective offices in the different profes- 
sions, a radiance of happiness is showered all 
about. 

Laughter 

The best known men of today are not neces- 
sarily presidents, kings, statesmen or scientists, 
but they are the motion picture actors who bring 
laughter to millions of people. The laugh-creat- 
ing genius and the eccentric personality of the 
motion picture actor bring forth a vivid and clear- 
cut description when their names are mentioned 
in every corner of the earth, while if the names 
of presidents, kings, statesmen or scientists are 
called, they are merely names in a stereotype 
form. This is not because the motion picture 
actor has contributed something wonderful to the 
knowledge of the world, but is because he has 
made people laugh, which is much greater from 
the view point of the average man or woman. 

To some extent we all are like the king of 
olden days who used to keep a jester or clown in 
his court for the sole purpose of producing laughs 
and fun which would help sooth the troubles and 



48 THE CALL OF LIFE 

worries that rested too heavily upon his royal 
crown. In this day and time after attending a 
show and watching the clown and listening to his 
jokes and merrymaking, to a great extent it is a 
change and we return home, casting aside any 
gloomy disposition we might have had, feeling 
braced up, and with a determination to tackle our 
problems in a more vigorous way. A hearty 
laugh, a word of encouragement, a joke thrown in 
and our troubles vanish. 

Smiling 

Once there was a boy whose face muscles 
were injured in a railroad accident to the extent 
that he would never be able to smile again. He 
sued the railroad company and as a result the 
jury decided and returned a verdict that $20,000 
was a fair valuation to place upon his smile. I 
suppose if this had been a girl it would have been 
a calamity sure enough, and the railroad company 
would have had to seek the bankrupt court rather 
than pay the price. Now, in reality $20,000 is 
a small sum in comparison to the handicap of not 
being able to smile. A person without a smile is 
like an automobile driving at night without a 
headlight. 

It is human nature to be attracted by the 
things that make us feel better and thei things 
that give us a certain amount of pleasure, and 
this is why the smiling person is so popular. A 



THE CALL OF LIFE 49 

sunny smile is the key that opens doors from 
trouble rooms and leads to the palaces of success. 

Cheerfulness 

It costs us nothing to be cheerful though it 
pays wonderful dividends in terms of success, 
in our conversation it consumes no extra time to 
be cheerful, so why not be cheerful and make 
friends. Cheerfulness is close kin to optimism. 
It attracts more people, sells more goods, and puts 
over more business, with absolutely no deprecia- 
tion, ever maintaining a tendency of strengthen- 
ing and building up all parties concerned. 

Pessimism can well be put on a synonymous 
term with destroy. It has never accomplished 
anything, but on the other hand tends to tear 
down all that is good, best and right. 

We all may not be as optimistic as the Irish- 
man when jumping out of a twenty-seventh story 
building, was asked when he reached the thir- 
teenth floor how he felt, and he said, "So far, so 
good," but we all can be cheerful and optimistic 
to a modest degree to say the least and brush 
trouble to one side as we march triumphantly on 
the way. 



50 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 11 

LET YOUR CONSCIENCE CAST THE DECID- 
ING VOTE 

There never was a boy who stole peaches or 
watermelons but what was forewarned by a little 
"bird" who told him it was wrong. This inside 
warning was his conscience in action. It might 
have been a boy who was tempted to smoke or a 
girl to cheat on examination, but conscience held 
him back. Every individual has had some ex- 
perience in life in which his conscience has cer- 
tainly been on the job and told him to take a dif- 
ferent road from the one he was traveling. 

Conscience is easiest explained by calling 
forth some of our own individual experiences, but 
in the true definition it is an instrument through 
which God directs his people. God has endowed 
humanity with many faculties and it seems that 
the trait of conscience was implanted for the pur- 
pose of discriminating right from wrong, and 
similar to other instruments with which we have 
been so graciously endowed, God expects us to 
keep it in an acute stage and sensitive to every 
response. 

In studying history we note that the men 
and women whose names are recorded behind 
glorious deeds, have always kept this faculty 
sensitive to its purpose, considering it a pilot 
along the way, ever willing to make any sacrifice 



THE CALL OF LIFE bl 

rather than to part with this impelling and guid- 
ing force. 

By constant practice of ignoring one's con- 
science it will become seared and in time he, as 
an individual, will not be capable of discriminat- 
ing between right and wrong, so easily had he 
given conscience the right-of-way in his life. We 
should always follow conscience regardless of the 
flattering offers and inducements from other 
sources and the world in general, and conscience 
should cast the deciding vote. 

We note that heathen tribes set up a stand- 
ard of living and even though it is grossly imper- 
fect, to a greatf extent it guides them and pro- 
hibits many crimes that would otherwise be per- 
petrated. 

Even though at times we may go counterwise 
to the direction which our consciences would lead 
us and probably get by for a few times, it is a 
very dangerous practice, and even though it is 
small within itself, it is nothing short of a set- 
back and may be the beginning of our travel on 
the road to retrogression, so let us each keep his 
respective conscience sensitive, heed its command, 
thus permitting it to cast the deciding vote and 
ever keeping us aright. 



52 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 12 

DEVELOP YOUR TALENTS 

Every individual has been created with one 
or more talents; that is, natural gifts which if 
put to use and properly directed will enable him to 
produce results. 

It is the duty of every father and mother to 
closely watch and study their children in early 
life with the object in view of discovering these 
natural gifts or talents, and thus help pave the 
way whereby these natural traits can grow and 
develop. 

It is also the duty of every young person by 
the time he reaches high school to begin studying 
his own individual life, discovering what natural 
gifts or talents he possesses, and to begin to map 
out definite plans for an active and progressive 
life which leads toward success. 

When this discovery has been made the next 
step is to determine the best methods to pursue 
in order to improve in the specific lines in which 
you are most gifted and interested. When you 
are convinced in which field of endeavor you are 
best suited, then you have discovered your talents, 
which lead to discovering your call in life. From 
the standpoint of making the best of your talents, 
improving your surroundings, helping your fel- 
lowmen and promoting your own personal inter- 



THE CALL OF LIFE 53 

ests, it is not only necessary to develop them but 
it is your duty. 

We owe it to our parents, to our immediate 
family, and above all, to our Maker, to increase 
our talents and this can only come by application 
and education. 

The story is told by a minister which well 
illustrates the putting to work and making the 
best of our talents. He said when he first began 
to preach, which was back in the pioneer days 
that at one of his churches the building had al- 
most gone to rack, the window panes had been 
knocked out, the doors torn down, and the stove 
had fallen to pieces. The sheep, goats, and pigs 
would come and sleep not only under the church, 
but inside of the church. Members of his con- 
gregation would hitch their mules and horses to 
their buggies and wagons on the outside of the 
church, and as a result they would break loose 
and give trouble during the services. All of this 
presented a predicament which was not conduc- 
ive to the best of worship. 

This preacher said that one of his most faith- 
ful members who was a blacksmith, was always 
present at every meeting, sitting on the front 
seat. While this blacksmith could not sing and 
would not pray in public, he was a devout Chris- 
tian and a faithful member, so the preacher 
struck on the idea of giving him something to do. 
He asked the faithful blacksmith if he would take 
it upon himself to fix the windows and doors of 



54 THE CALL OF LIFE 

the church, take the stove down to his shop and 
put it in good condition. The blacksmith gladly 
accepted the job, and he did not stop at this. He 
brought some old horse shoes from the shop and 
fixed hitching posts on the outside of the church 
which permitted the people to hitch their teams 
in an orderly way. After the blacksmith had 
been assigned to his job, it was only a few days 
until the window panes had been put in, the doors 
put into shape, the stove erected and there was 
no disturbance from the restless teams on the 
outside, and in fact, had everything going smooth- 
ly and the congregation enjoyed their worship 
in a cozy little church in a peaceful manner. 

Now, this blacksmith took his talent as a me- 
chanic and blacksmith and increased it twenty 
fold, yea probably more than a hundred fold. So 
it is with each one of us ; we have talents of dif- 
ferent kinds, and we should always be on the 
alert to grasp the opportunities and to make the 
best of these talents, increasing them many fold 
and doing a great service for the organization we 
may be connected with and a great service to our 
fellowmen. 

It is a calamitous situation to see a young 
man or young lady who has finished college going 
into a certain city and community, securing a 
splendid position, but being a miser with his or 
her talents for leadership. Just in proportion 
that a person has prepared himself in the educa- 
tional world, in the same proportion should he 



THE CALL OF LIFE 55 

give of his time, interests and talents for the 
furtherance, promotion and making a success of 
all worthy causes near his surroundings. 

We hear a great deal about people being 
misers of their money, but I am convinced that 
humanity is more miser of its talents than of its 
money, and if there could be a little shaking and 
loosening up along this line whereby people as a 
whole would make proper use of their physical 
and mental talents, the money situation would 
take care of itself. 

In order to reach the high standards of life, 
we must realize that the achievement of success 
is measured by opportunity, and to say a person 
has a talent is equivalent to saying he has an op- 
portunity, so let us all determine what talents we 
have, and then put them to work. 



56 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 13 

ASSOCIATION MOULDS CHARACTER 

Every person with higher and nobler aspira- 
tions in life, and we all should have, is desirous 
of a strong character. 

Quite frequently a man in winning his way 
in the world by the channel of hypocricy and 
camouflaging, apparently gaining an excellent 
reputation, but when boiled to the final analysis, 
and the real man is discovered, not having any 
character, a monstrous collapse takes place. 
Character is what the real man is — and not his 
reputation. 

We all should be interested as to how charac- 
ter is formed, and though there are many angles 
to the formation of character, one of the greatest 
pressures upon the moulds which form character, 
is association. A child in the home by associat- 
ing with his parents, does not only inherit cer- 
tain characteristics, but will acquire them by con- 
stant association with the father and mother, and 
the influence brought to bear in early childhood 
crops out later in life when manhood is attained. 

A good boy associated with a bad boy means 
ultimately that one of the boys will overcome the 
other with his good or bad habits, and the strong- 
est one of the two will finally influence the other, 
thus, predominating and help mould his charac- 
ter. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 57 

It is just like making ice cream. The salt 
put on the ice produces a very low temperature, 
and thus absorbs the heat out of the milk and 
finally brings the milk to the same temperature 
as the ice. Just as this phenomenon takes place 
in making ice cream, the same process is true to 
life, and our influence, even though it may be 
small has its effect for good or bad on all with 
whom we come into contact, and in the same man- 
ner, we become a part of those with whom we 
come into contact. This being true, it is very im- 
portant that we choose well our associates. 

The acquiring of a strong character is a slow 
process. It must start in the days of our youth 
and gradually form as we grow older. Just as 
we succeed in withstanding the temptations and 
resisting the evil ways in small things when we 
are young, so will we become stronger and will be 
able to withstand the larger temptations as we 
progress along life's journey. 

The associates we have and the decisions we 
make in childhood, after all, puts us into a posi- 
tion to make the proper decision on momentous 
questions in later life, and just as we choose our 
associates and decide these questions in early 
life, so in the same proportion will we possess a 
real character ; the non-possession of which means 
ruin and destruction, and the possession of which 
surely means success in the broad sense. 



58 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 14 

THE TRIPLE PROBLEMS 

The three mightiest of problems which con- 
front the youth of every land is the solving of his 
religion, profession and selecting his better half. 

The parents can wield a wonderful influence 
in shaping and helping their children to find the 
right road along religious lines. Generally speak- 
ing, as father and mother are religious, so will 
their children be. In other words, as the Bible 
teaches that to raise and train a child right it will 
not depart from its training in later life, holds 
good also in this particular case, he percentage 
of people who join the church after they attain 
their manhood is very small, so it is doubly im- 
portant that the boy or girl in early life give 
thought to his or her religion and make a definite 
decision for the cause of righteousness and to 
line up with some religious creed. 

The second problem, which so many boys and 
girls, men and women fail to solve, is their pro- 
fession or calling in life, and it is just for this 
reason that this book has been written. 

The fathers and mothers can play a master 
stroke in behalf of the future material success of 
theitf children if only they themselves have the 
proper education and knowledge as to how it can 
be done. The child should be encouraged with 
his hobbies, talents and characteristics and every 



THE CALL OF LIFE bd 

advantage given for his proper development. The 
child must play his part of the game also by 
giving thpught to his future life, and naturally 
this thought will not be as serious as the parents, 
and there may be air castles built miles high and 
wild dreams and imagination unheard of put forth. 
By all means this is fine, and the child should 
receive the deepest sympathy and ''boosting" 
from the parents, and when these pet theories 
are properly pursued in the natural course of time 
they will become inculcated into their lives as 
men and women and though they may not be what 
anticipation had pictured them, it is a forward 
step toward success. 

By the time young people reach high school 
they should begin studying and planning for their 
college career, and at their graduation from high 
school they should have their minds made up as 
to what specific line to pursue at college, thus, 
leading up to their definite profession in life. 

The third problem in this triple alliance of 
mightiest of problems which a youth must face, 
is the selection of his better half or choosing a 
help-mate for life. To see the divorce records is 
enough to convince any "doubting Thomas" that 
there is "something rotten in Denmark" in this 
present generation when it comes to the marriage 
situation. The large number of divorces every 
year is nothing short of appalling, and we need 
more states like South Carolina where divorces 
are not permitted, and probably this would be a 



60 THE CALL OF LIFE 

safety valve for people to choose more wisely, 
using discretion, and sticking to their trades. The 
divorce condition nowadays while serious, is really 
a joke and the laws are too lenient along this 
line. 

It should be the ambition of all normal young 
people at the proper time in life to get married, 
and finding the right one is no small undertaking. 
By saying the proper time I mean after one has 
attained manhood or womanhood and has a posi- 
tion which will justify such steps, and, if possible, 
a small nucleus in the bank. In a young people's 
social life, as they emerge into manhood and wo- 
manhood, too much thought cannot be given to 
the standards, qualifications and characteristics 
which you as an individual have in mind for a 
partner, and if chosen from this view point, there 
would be more successful marriages and hap- 
pier families dominating the land. 

I should like to impress upon boys and girls 
that there is only one standard of life and that 
you have no right to ask and to require of one 
another fundamental habits that you yourself can- 
not measure and live up to. 

After years of study and serious thought on 
the subject I have compiled a set of standards, 
qualifications and characteristics which if seri- 
ously considered by young men and young women 
should assist them in a most effective way in 
solving this third of important problems which 
confronts every individual. This method is 



THE CALL OF LIFE 61 

called "Scientific Wife or Husband Choosing." 
I do not claim for it that it is perfect, however 
generally speaking, when followed by the average 
boy or girl, it will help lead him or her aright. 
Appreciating the fact that every individual has 
peculiarities all his own, it is your privilege and 
pleasure to alter this method to suit your own 
case. 

The following points are graded on a basis 
of 100 per cent; the first ten points counting 5 
per cent each and the last or No. 11 counting 50 
per cent: (1) Age, (2) General appearance, (a) 
Presentation, (b) Form, (c) Weight, (d) Beauty, 
(3) Church, (4) Virtue, (5) Character, (6) Dis- 
position, (7) Education, (8) Stock (a) Ancestors, 
(b) Present family, (9) Talents, (10) Likes and 
dislikes, (11) Love. 

Love is a mysterious thing yet simple. 



62 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 15 

RESOLUTIONS, MAXIMS OR MOTTOES 

The ushering in of the New Year brings with 
it to so many people New Year Resolutions. This 
is a splendid practice and I would not discount 
New Year Resolutions one iota but instead give 
unto them strength. 

I wish to encourage not only resolutions for 
the New Year, but to admonish all as individuals 
and as organizations to be on the alert taking 
stock, visualizing and planning to not better our- 
selves only, but our neighbors and that sphere of 
the world which we touch, and whenever a new 
thought for a better practice in the upbuilding of 
our lives crosses our minds, do not wait for the 
New Year to roll around to record it and to start 
practicing same, but begin at once. 

If the word resolution sounds "too tame" 
the words maxim or motto may be used. When 
carried to the final analysis the word habit is 
what we are seeking, because after all, life con- 
sists of a bunch of habits. 

If everybody, especially young people, dur- 
ing the formative period of their lives, would give 
ten minutes to serious thought and write down 
on paper at least one resolution, maxim or motto 
a week or fifty-two for the year, which he or she 
intends to practice and actually incorporate them 
into his or her life, we would see an astounding 



THE CALL OF LIFE 63 

change for the better in the individual, which 
means, also, the rising generation. Of course, 
some of these resolutions would be simple and 
probably would seem too insignificant for you to 
consider, but mind you, it is the little habits of 
life that produce character, so if you have any 
bad habits which you wish to shake off, write 
down on paper or in your notebook, that you in- 
tend to quit them and that you are quitting them, 
and if there are any new habits that you wish to 
take up in order to strengthen your life and 
character, write them down and begin the prac- 
tice thereof immediately. 

For an average sample I am giving a few 
resolutions which I recorded over a period of three 
years in connection with my own life, and in en- 
deavoring to live up to them I have found it most 
helpful and strengthening and I pass them on to 
you for what they may be worth. 

1st. Begin to Tithe, giving one-tenth of in- 
come to charity and worthy causes. 

2nd. Never to idle one minute. 

3rd. Whistle and sing some every day or 
produce some kind of music and life will be more 
pleasant, cheerful and bright. 

4th. Use at least fifteen minutes each day in 
meditating, thinking, reviewing the past accom- 
plishments and planning for the future. 

5th. Give more thought and attention to 
physical well being. Retire at 11:00 P. M., and 
arise at 7:30 A. M. Take at least five minutes 



64 THE CALL OF LIFE 

of exercise upon arising, such as muscular move- 
ment and deep breathing. Subscribe for some 
physical culture magazine in order to keep inter- 
est aroused in good health and also to keep posted 
on the subject. Purchase some good book on 
health, etc., such as "Old Age" by Sandford Ben- 
ford. 

6th. To live a more devoted Christian life. 

7th. Take stock every week, not only fi- 
nancial stock but physical (in regard to good 
health), mental and spiritual stock. 

8th. Always carry a good magazine or book 
when on street cars and trains. Many wasted 
hours can be well utilized by starting this habit. 
Of course, do not neglect friends and acquaintances 
when they are met on the cars. Simply drop 
reading. Also it is a good policy many times to 
suspend reading in order to get acquainted with 
the strange party whom one may sit down by. 
There is nothing like making new acquaintances 
and friends and too, one can learn something new 
from any and everybody whom he meets. 

9th. Don't wait for opportunities but make 
opportunities. 

10th. Get a vision of life and set your 
stakes. 

11th. Always be optimistic. 

12th. Never have the blues. 

13th. Be a 100 per cent self confident per- 
son of the reserved type. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 65 

14th. When a task has to be accomplished 
always use the word must. 

15th. Do not let the word failure creep into 
your vocabulary. 

16th. Be sure you are right, then stand 
your grounds. 

17th. Continue on the alert to be of service 
to your fellowman. 

18th. Be kind to everybody. 

19th. Do not forget family ties. 

20th. Give liberally to worthy causes. 

21st. Always wear a smile. 

22nd. Say good things about people and 
leave off the bad things. 

23rd. Put into all conversation which will 
permit, a word of encouragement. 

24th. Advise with young people in regard to 
determining their biggest asset and choosing their 
profession, etc., and particularly insist upon them 
finishing their education. 

25th. Devote more time to prayer. 

26th. Let us remember that this is the day 
of unparalleled opportunities and may our prayers 
be in keeping with the times. 

27th. Cultivate unselfishness. 

28th. Be democratic to the core with all peo- 
ple and on all occasions. 

29th. Don't forget that in many instances, 
circumstances and occasions that a silent tongue 
and a listening ear is a real good habit to practice. 



66 THE CALL OF LIFE 

30th. "Where there is a will there is a 
way." 

31st. To accomplish any task or any parti- 
cular job, one must first learn his subject well, 
educating himself along that specific line, then 
putting his whole enthusiasm and will power be- 
hind it, success will soon crown his efforts. 

32nd. The following are several big words 
and phrases w T hich all young people would do well 
to incorporate into their lives : (a) Vision of life, 
(b) Ambition, (c) Education, (d) Determination, 
(e) Willpower, (f ) Self Confidence, (g) Faith, (h) 
Unselfishness, (i) Optimism, (j) Pray erf ulness. 

33rd. We all look at the other fellow's pro- 
fession, job, or position as being better and easier 
than our own. This is a delusion and false im- 
pression. No profession or job that is worth 
while is a "gravy train." Hard work, physically 
and mentally, is the road which must be traveled 
in order to attain success in any profession. 

34th. Give special attention to your teeth, 
wash them three times daily. Hava mouth ex- 
amined twice each year by a dentist. 

35th. Alabama's Convict Lease System 
must go. I long to see the day when our convict 
lease system, which is the highest form of slavery, 
shall be completely abolished. This relic of bar- 
barism must pass into history and the quicker 
the better. It is my intention and purpose to 
fight this Twentieth Century slavery which our 



THE CALL OF LIFE 67 

dear old State is now practicing until it is scrap- 
ped and forever abolished. 

36th. When we hear of the success of any 
man we only hear the bright side of the story. 
Generally speaking, every man that has made his 
mark in this world has had struggles in his day, 
many times his path was strewn with thorns and 
many times it led near the edge of the cliff. The 
fellow who withstands all these reverses, who 
comes again after his blocks have been knocked 
out from under him, who perseveres to the last 
ditch, who exerts an indomitable will power, who 
never loses faith and resorts often to prayer, is 
the fellow whom success is bound to crown. 

37th. Never tell others about your accom- 
plishments in an egotistical way. 

38th. If you have any kind of a job which 
you want done without fail, give it to a busy man 
rather than to a man with plenty of leisure time. 

39th. Married life in many respects means 
a sacrifice but it should be a pleasure. 

40th. A corn-fed girl who is educated and 
cultured is hard to beat for a wife. 

41st. The Bible tells us that knowledge and 
wisdom is better than gold. While I have been 
seeking knowledge and wisdom for several years 
I shall put forth renewed efforts to gain more as 
the years go by. 

42nd. Someone has given the definition of 
a friend to be," One who knows all about you and 



68 THE CALL OF LIFE 






yet has confidence in you." Without a doubt 
friends are the most wonderful asset a person can 
have here on earth except his relationship to God. 

43rd. A man who leaves off his religious 
training cannot possibly hope to attain his maxi- 
mum greatness, to say nothing of his questionable 
future. 

44th. Everyone should consider good books 
as their close friends. If people, particularly 
young folks, would read good books, not only 
novels and classics, but scientific books, just one 
half of the time they loaf, this country would see 
wonderful progress in the next generation that 
otherwise will be lacking. 

45th. Do your job thoroughly regardless of 
how great or how small it may be. 

46th. A boy or girl who is raised without 
knowing what the word obedience means is al- 
most a hopeless case. 

47th. Success in any line of endeavor is only 
success when we have put forth all of our efforts 
to reach the goal. 

48th. Our greatness in this world is only 
limited by the stock we take in all good move- 
ments. We are just as big as the big part we 
take in various organizations. 

49th. Anticipate the future and lay your 
plans accordingly, then you can cope with any 
emergency which may arise. 

50th. Success is measured too frequently by 



THE CALL OF LIFE 69 

the dollar mark standard. Money is a splendid 
thing to make, provided it is used to uplift your 
fellowman, but the biggest success a person can 
make is unselfish service to humanity. Of course, 
money can be used in your unselfish service pro- 
gram. 

51st. With facts in hand and proper con- 
centration of the mind and communion with God, 
all problems can be solved. 

52nd. Seek wisdom in unlimited quantities 
for of such a man cannot have too much. "Wis- 
dom is the keynote to success. " 

53rd. Watch, or better still, play a game of 
some kind, attend a picture show or go hunting 
every week in order to get a diversion from busi- 
ness. Many a good man has ruined his health 
and fallen into a rut simply by sticking his nose, 
head, and all, deep down into business and forget- 
ting that the biggest things in this world are not 
measured by the dollar mark. 

54th. Man never graduates from the College 
of Life. An unlimited supply of knowledge can 
be gained from reading newspapers, magazines 
and books, and associating with your fellowmen. 

55th. The achievement of success should be 
measured by the opportunity before us. 

56th. The wonderful and unlimited resour- 
ces of the South should be an inspiration to every 
boy and girl in Dixie to stay home and put his 
shoulder to development's wheel. 

57th. One of the greatest needs of the 



70 THE CALL OF LIFE 

American home today is closer association of 
parents with their children. Every father should 
give not less than one hour of his time each day 
through the week to his son and from two to six 
hours on Sunday. If this habit were practiced 
today, we would see an amazing change in the 
rising generation of boys. By no means should 
the girls be neglected. I speak of boys because 
I deal with about one hundred every week and 
know their habits and ways best. 

58th. If you desire friends you must first 
be friendly to others. 

59th. Every generation brings forth new 
inventions which would seem impossible to the 
previous generation. To the average man it ap- 
pears as if that man has almost reached his limit 
when it comes to inventing and discovering new 
ideas and mechanisms which are revolutionizing 
in their effect upon humanity and the world in 
general. This is not true, we are proud to say, 
because the field for invention is very large in- 
deed today and after history's pages will have 
been written, there is naf question but that the 
Twentieth Century's record will reflect credit up- 
on those who lived in its generation. 

60th. "Honesty and Service" is the best 
policy or motto that a man or a company can have 
whereby a strong foundation can be laid in the 
business world. 

61st. Unless the occasion calls for it, avoid 



THE CALL OF LIFE 71 

extremes in any direction on all questions where 
a firm stand is to be taken. 

62nd. The world is not growing worse today 
as some people would have you believe. The per- 
son who says that it is, fails to take into considera- 
tion that today we have many new methods and 
means whereby meanly inclined people may ac- 
complish their deeds. The auto is a typical ex- 
ample of improved instruments which aid greatly 
those who are inclined to not respect the law. 

63rd. Cigarettes are a detriment to the 
youth of our land and it is appalling to see so 
many boys tampering with them. 

64th. Smoking is not conducive to good 
health ; it requires time and is a useless expense, 
so always refrain from such a habit. 

65th. There is nothing beneficial or helpful 
in coca-cola or dope so drink not thereof. 

66th. Cities are just as great as its citizens 
are great. 

67th. The greatest citizen that a city can 
have is that man or woman who has civic pride 
enough to be willing to sacrifice both time and 
money in building up his city. 

68th. People should be educated to give time 
its true value. Many men fail every year in 
business projects simply because they do not use 
their time properly. 

69th. Idleness is still one of the curses and 
sins of the ages, in fact, it is one of the greatest 
sins of today. The minds of the rising genera- 



72 THE CALL OF LIFE 

tion should be schooled in the idea, thought and 
habit of utilizing every minute in a beneficial 
way. 

70th. We all should give most serious con- 
sideration in the planning of our every walk and 
step in life. Plan the future and write it out on 
paper. 

71st. "Think and then think more/' 

72nd. Give our "gray matter" more oppor- 
tunities to exercise by using it. 

73rd. Think twice before giving discourag- 
ing advice to any party who is contemplating' a 
new project unless the project is of a decidedly 
bad nature. 

74th. It is not true that the field of opera- 
tion in every profession and business is over- 
worked. There is always room at the top for the 
boy or girl who is prepared, a real scout, one who 
is physically strong, mentally awake and morally 
straight. 

75th. A libraryless home is one to be pitied. 

76th. Service is the great dynamo which 
feeds "electricity" into our lives and contributes 
to the building of character. 

77th. "Water still seeks its level." The 
boy or girl, man or woman who is prepared for the 
duties and responsibilities of this life is the one 
who will attain the greatest success. 

78th. There is really only one standard in 
life. If a man has a right to practice bad habits 
his sister, wife or sweetheart should have the 



THE CALL OF LIFE 73 

same right. The facts are, neither man nor wo- 
man has a right to practice bad habits and a man 
should not ask of a woman more than he is will- 
ing to give her. 

79th. Do not let trivial things go undone 
because the time-thought in which they occupy 
your mind could and should be used on problems 
of more importance. 

80th. Do not discuss or argue with people 
on problems of no value. 

81st. Study and learn what problems should 
be of interest and valuable for self improvement. 

82nd. Have my business office on the eighth 
floor and thus save several hours each year in 
traveling up and down in elevators as compared 
to many of the higher floors. 

83rd. Never wear shoes which lace all the 
way up as it requires too much time in lacing and 
unlacing. Always wear shoes that have hooks 
and thereby saving a few hours each year in put- 
ting shoes on and off. 

84th. Always own and use the type of watch 
that has an open face so that no time will be wast- 
ed when looking at it. Several minutes are con- 
sumed each year by individuals who own and use 
watches with cases that have to be opened every 
time they look at them. 

85th. At regular intervals of every few 
weeks take a survey of all interests and activities, 
with the object in view of cutting out all non- 
beneficial connections, thus economizing energy 



74 THE CALL OF LIFE 

and conserving it for more helpful purposes. 

86th. The mind must be exercised or else it 
will become rusty. 

87th. The world is yearning in its anxiety 
for proper development, for men who can think 
real thoughts and thoroughly disentangle the 
truth from the web of falsity and chance that is so 
prevalent in all walks of life. 

88th. Have a definite program by keeping 
your general and partially specific life plans work- 
ed out twenty years in advance. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 75 

CHAPTER 16 

TIME FOR ACTION 

The world is demanding boys and girls and 
men and women with action. When assigned a 
task or duty accept it in a most hearty fashion 
and immediately be up and doing about your job 
with the determination to put it over in a success- 
ful manner. 

In hunting big game in the mountains it is 
necessary to climb over rocks, snags and roughest 
of ground in order to reach the higher altitudes 
and get above the timber line, because it is there 
the big game is found. So, in order to bag the 
greatest game, successfully speaking, you must 
have initiative to act and push forward regardless 
of obstacles. 

It is the hard knocks and the surmounting of 
stumbling stones in the various walks of life which 
really make a fellow. Every stumbling stone 
we encounter and overcome should be considered 
most highly a stepping stone to things greater 
and nobler in life. We should train our minds to 
be alert, thus judging the psychological moment 
in w T hich to act in battling the resister or en- 
croacher, and in our fight for success along any 
line, over any point or about any principle, we 
must take notes, so to speak, judge closely and 
remember the channels pursued in order to make 



76 THE CALL OF LIFE 

this experience a valuable asset and consider it 
a stepping stone. 

Millions of people have lived and died without 
knowing their real strength, just plodding through 
this world as a bunch of potentialities when if 
they had exercised the slightest initiative and had 
produced a little action in connection with their 
positions, what marvelous results would have 
been accomplished and the world would have been 
advanced generations in its development. 

Too many people are living on the joys of 
good wishes and of anticipation, when in fact 
they should be living on the fruitions of their 
present acts. Leave not undone for tomorrow 
what should be done today. The need of this day 
and generation is for men and women with action. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 77 

CHAPTER 17 

WHITTLING THE PEGS 

In the change of positions each year by the 
hundreds of thousands of people something is 
radically wrong and it is clearly evidenced that 
at least a large proportion of them have not found 
their calling in life. They are simply round pegs 
in square holes or square pegs in round holes. 

If this change were made in a scientific and 
businesslike way it would not be so bad, but as it 
is these hundreds of thousands of people who 
change positions each year seem to have the no- 
madic spirit and not only change their positions 
this year but every year or two, and probably two 
or three times each year, and all of this is a loss 
in labor turnover and industrial efficiency, and 
last but not least the dissatisfied individual has 
not found his calling and continues to grope 
through this world in the dark. 

In order to properly get individuals of a gen- 
eration suited to their respective professions, 
there must necessarily be some whittling of the 
pegs and in this whittling the individual must 
play his part in working out his own professional 
salvation. He must take stock of his own life 
and if the discovery is made that he is not suited 
to his profession he is simply a round peg in a 
square hole or a square peg in a round hole, and 
the sooner he finds his real calling in life and 



78 THE CALL OF LIFE 

shapes himself to the new field of endeavor, the 
sooner he will be able to produce greater results, 
be more contented and reap the greatest benefits 
of life. 

It may require an unusual amount of deter- 
mination and will power to make a change in your 
life's work, and especially if you have been a 
round peg in a square hole or a square peg in a 
round hole for many years. In making this 
change, of course, common sense should be exer- 
cised to the extent that it may not be best to make 
a radical change all at one time, but gradually 
qualify along the line of your real talents and 
ability and when you are sure of your ground it 
is time for action, and there should be no danger 
of contracting the nomadic spirit. 

The sharper the knife the better you can 
whittle the pegs, so the better the preparation in 
qualifying for the change, the more quickly you 
will make good. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 79 

CHAPTER 18 

ALWAYS BUSY 

The saying that an idle mind is the devil's 
workshop has held good down through the genera- 
tions and will continue to hold good as long as 
time lasts. If only the idle minds of men today 
could be harnessed up for wholesome thoughts 
and constructive deeds, we would practically need 
no courts, judges, sheriffs, jails, or penitentiaries, 
and they would be forced to go out of business. 

If humanity would only keep busy, never 
letting a valuable minute pass without the proper 
utilization of it in focusing thoughts on its busi- 
ness or producing new constructive thoughts, it 
would be hard to conceive of the marvelous 
changes for the| better which would come forth 
as a result. 

If you are employed by the other fellow you 
should familiarize yourself with every detail of 
your job looking after your employer's business 
and interest and if you catch up with a day's 
work ahead of time look forward and make plans 
for tomorrow, keeping busy all the while, and it 
will only be a short time until you will have un- 
consciously attracted your employer's attention 
and you will not have to be wondering and worry- 
ing why promotions do not come, because they 
will come automatically. 

The fellow that is in business for himself, in 






80 THE CALL OF LIFE 

order to make the greatest success must always 
keep busy with his present work and making plans 
for the future. Success is simply bound to come 
to a person regardless of his line of work if he 
keeps busy utilizing his every minute in a con- 
structive way. 

The great trouble lies in the fact that most 
men do not appreciate time or give it its true 
value. Of the many wonderful blessings we all 
have at our command, time is one of the super- 
assets and in reality is given the least considera- 
tion by men. 

By all means we should budget our time, al- 
lowing so much for the different and various act- 
ivities which we may be interested in and connect- 
ed with. The market for time in this world is one 
of the marvels of the day. When we buy an auto- 
mobile for $3,000.00, we are not buying that much 
material, but mostly time. Probably the mater- 
ials which are used in the construction of this 
automobile only cost $150.00 at its place of origin, 
but after it has been transported andi reshaped 
and put through the various processes, the $150.00 
worth of raw material plus $2,850.00 worth of 
time, makes one $3,000.00 automobile. Some of j 
this time probably is valued at $1.50 per day ana 
some of it perhaps $5.00 a minute. The greatest 
reward is given to time that is properly directed, 
producing results and rendering a friend-making 
service. 

When we learn to keep busy and give time its 



THE CALL OF LIFE 81 

true and full value we are becoming educated very 
rapidly along successful lines and there will soon 
be an exhibition of a sure-enough touch-down 
over success* goal line. 



82 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 19. 

TWENTIETH CENTURY OPPORTUNITIES 

In reflecting along the line of Twentieth Cen- 
tury opportunities it is hard to realize and appre- 
ciate what a wonderfully blessed age we are living 
in and form a component part. In the lives of 
many of our oldest citizens of today there is an ex- 
perience which young people know nothing about 
and when some of these conditions of fifty years 
ago are related they sound as a story of myth in 
comparison with the realities of today. 

In the childhood days of many of our oldest 
citizens they knew not what matches were and 
had to keep the coals covered with ashes in order 
to kindle fires from day to day. If the coals hap- 
pened to go out during the night, a neighbor's 
house had to be visited before a fire could be start- 
ed next day. 

It was only a short while ago that the candle 
was displaced by the little brass lamp with the 
round wick, and when the oil lamp with chimneys 
were brought forth they were indeed a curiosity, 
but to cap it all the electric light, the wonder of 
the age, came forth to bless its day and the fol- 
lowing generations. 

Among the many inventions and wonderful 
improvements that could be mentioned that were 
ushered in during the latter part of the Nine- 
teenth Century and the early part of the Twen- 



THE CALL OF LIFE 83 

tieth Century are the telephone, phonograph, wire- 
less telegraph, automobile and radio phone, which 
we, the people of today, are sharing the blessings 
and benefits. 

Every generation has brought forth new in- 
ventions which seem impossible to the previous 
generation and to the average man it appears that 
the zenith has been reached when it comes to in- 
venting and discovering new ideas and mechan- 
isms which are revolutionizing in their effect upon 
humanity and the world in general. This is a fall- 
acy because the field for invention today is un- 
limited and after the Twentieth Century record 
has been written we may rest assured that it will 
reflect credit upon those who lived in its genera- 
tion. 

Inventions and added improvements neces- 
sarily carry along with them special and most 
glowing opportunities and the boy or girl who will 
not take advantage of these opportunities will 
never attain the heighth of his or her possibilities. 
Inventions do not have to be confined to machin- 
ery, mechanism, etc., they can be applied to every 
walk of life. 

Humanity is born with a certain ingredient 
known as a roving disposition and we are prone 
to seek new territory for our fortunes, when in 
reality the opportunity is lying at our doorsteps 
if only we would catch a vision for development. 

The greatest thing the world needs today is 
education. We need trained doctors to eradicate 



84 THE CALL OF LIFE 

diseases and thus increase the average life of 
humanity ; scientific agriculturists to get the prop- 
er yields from our soil ; trained engineers to tun- 
nel mountains, erect bridges, construct buildings 
and build railroads, efficient business men to 
properly coordinate industry and business in gen- 
eral. When the boys and girls of today are prop- 
erly trained in these various pursuits of life, stand- 
ards of life will have been elevated many de- 
grees higher and the world blessed many fold. 

We see about us today and particularly in this 
fair Southland abundance of propositions, chances 
and opportunities for young people to start at 
rock-bottom, putting themselves with all their 
might and interest into the various games of 
life and grow up stalwart and gigantic business 
men and women. Of course, there are opportuni- 
ties in every state and section in the United 
States, but from the standpoint of unlimited op- 
portunities for development the world over, the 
Southland is the most abundant. While we are 
progressing nicely and rapidly with develop- 
ments in the South in reality the surface has not 
been scratched. Our water powers are unlimited, 
our forests abundant, our natural resources al- 
most inexhaustible, and our soil produces bounti- 
fully, growing practically everything known to 
mankind. As we progress along educational lines, 
the Southland will bloom forth with prosperity in 
such a wonderful fashion that the mind of man 
dare not dream or conceive. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 85 

From every angle and standpoint the Twen- 
tieth Century opportunities are the greatest yet 
ever known to man, and we should indeed feel 
proud of living in this Century and may we all put 
our shoulders to development's wheel and help 
push the world on to added progress. 






86 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 20 

NER.VE AND A SHINGLE 

Nerve in this instance is interpreted as being 
composed of among other things: Vision, Self- 
Confidence, Ambition, Enthusiasm, and Responsi- 
bility. A person must imbibe all of these assets 
if the greatest success is to be attained. 

All young people should be willing to serve 
their apprenticeship so to speak, that is, start at 
the bottom in their respective professions with 
the object in view of promotions. If after having 
applied yourself promotions do not come at your 
particular station, it is time for you to take a sur- 
vey of the situation and find wherein the trouble 
ries. If the trouble is not within yourself and if it 
cannot be remedied, the proper step then to be 
taken is to muster up your nerve and hang out 
your shingle, or, in other words, break off from 
salary shackles and establish a business of your 
own. 

To the college graduate may I bespeak to you 
the admonition to be willing to start at a meager 
salary when just out of school, but apply yourself 
most thoroughly and it will be only a question of 
time until promotions will come. You must guard 
against getting into a rut with some concern, los- 
ing all your initiative and remaining as a cog in 
the wheel. 

If you do not desire to hang out your shin- 



THE CALL OF LIFE 87 

gle, getting into business of your own, you should 
strive to reach the highest position possible with 
the concern for whom you may be working. You 
may allow yourself to be contented for a while but 
never be satisfied with your present station in life, 
but always look to the future with an eye singled 
to giving service and you will be abundantly re- 
warded by promotion. 

I do not agree with some of the supposedly 
great business men of the day who advise against 
young men getting into business of their own, but 
on the other hand, I would encourage it most 
heartily. I wish to qualify my encouragement 
with the advice to all parties who are contemplat- 
ing a business of their own, to be positive that 
they are getting into a line of business which is 
dearest to their hearts, and that they are most tal- 
ented in and will love best, then educate and apply 
yourself in that particular field and the day will 
never come when you will have regretted of hav- 
ing taken your nerve and hung out your shingle. 



88 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 21. 
STATESMANSHIP AS A CALLING 

God endows man with talents for statesman- 
ship and powers of this kind as well as the other 
professions. Shame on the man who assumes that 
as soon as a person gets into politics he becomes 
hopelessly demoralized. While it is true some 
men apparently become demoralized as soon as 
they getjnto politics, the truth of the matter is 
they were already demoralized and by virtue of 
their position in politics the opportunity was af- 
forded them whereby they showed their true 
colors. 

Clean politics goes hand in hand with clean 
church life and a man can serve there as truly as 
the man ministering at the altar. Our Creator is 
as much interested in who makes and administers 
the laws as he is in who carries forth other pro- 
fessions affecting the various ramifications of 
life. 

The world needs more young people who be- 
lieve that God may have fitted them by nature for 
Public Service and who are willing to commit their 
way unto Him, letting Him direct them into this 
specific line of work and thus serve the Lord there 
as greatly as on the Mission field. 

Whenever we have more clean men and wo- 
men entering politics and statesmanship, we may 
expect politics to be cleaner, fewer cases of de- 
moralization and a greater Government. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 89 

CHAPTER 22. 

BENEFITS OF HOBNOBBING. 

In order to make a success it is necessary to 
give one's profession proper attention, but it is 
quite a mistakg for a man to stay on the job, be- 
ing continually buried, head, nose and all in busi- 
ness, never hobnobbing with his f ellowman or tak- 
ing a vacation. 

From day to day and week to week, we should 
mix and mingle or hobnob to a moderate degree 
with our f ellowman, exchanging ideas and partak- 
ing of the splendid social and fraternal spirit 
which is generally created by such a practice. 
Some professions naturally require a larger ac- 
quaintance than others, in order to attain the 
greatest success, but regardless of profession, a 
large acquaintance is helpful and beneficial. 

The luncheon club idea among business men 
is a wonderful boost for the individual. By as- 
sembling one hour a week for luncheon, men come 
in contact with each other, representing scores of 
professions and classifications, and thus make 
many points of contact, which, from a business 
standpoint, is a big asset. The larger benefits 
however are measured in a social, fraternal and 
educational way, all of which give him renewed 
energy to return to his office full of ambition, en- 
thusiasm and a happier man. 

It is very distasteful to see a man who is 



90 THE CALL OF LIFE 

"stuck" on himself, always exuberating a cold and 
selfish atmosphere, thinking that he is too good 
to get down on the level with his fellowman. We 
should learn that we are not living for ourselves 
alone, but for others and we should keep in mind 
the thought of doing a good deed or as the Scouts 
call it a "Good Turn" each day. 

We should banish from our minds all petty 
jealousies and selfish thoughts, and cultivate the 
habit of mixing and mingling with people, always 
being friendly, saying a kind word, ever on the 
alert with the object in view of doing service to 
our fellowman, and thus shape ourselves into be- 
ing democratic to the core, a thing that is needed 
greatly in this day and generation. 

We hear a great deal today about the boy 
problem when in reality and in fact there is no 
boy problem; it is a man's problem. In other 
words, one of the greatest needs of the young life 
of America today is for more older people to be- 
come their pals and to hobnob with them. 

Every community, town and city is in need 
of more leaders among the young people as well as 
old, so put on your hobnobbing clothes and volun- 
teer into the work, whether it be as a Scoutmast- 
er, Sunday School teacher, singing in the choir, 
athletics, Y. M. C. A. work, or "what-not." It will 
be a constructive move on your part in behalf of 
helping your community; but above all, you will 



THE CALL OF LIFE 91 

be helping shape the destiny of the rising genera- 
tion, and at the same time you will profit by stay- 
ing younger in spirit and enjoying life to the full- 
est extent. 



92 THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 23. 

BLAZING THE WAY. 

The germ of divine discontent has done more 
for blazing the way in exploring new countries 
and developing new and unheard-of, yet progres- 
sive and uplifting processes in every field of en- 
deavor, than anything ever discovered by man. 

In scanning the pages of history, we note 
that men who are considered geniuses and leaders 
of their professions, once became possessed with 
the germ of divine discontent, were not satisfied, 
and thus forged themselves forward and deserv- 
ingly recorded themselves in the front ranks, be- 
cause they had a vision, applied themselves and 
served their f ellowman. 

If you are not satisfied in your present walk 
of life, if you are cherishing some discontent in 
your heart and mind, I would advise that you 
study your situation, educating yourself thor- 
oughly, and use every means possible to guide the 
impulse which is striving to put you on a higher 
plane of life. By throwing your whole life into 
this fight, there is nothing in the world that can 
hold you back and prevent you from accomplish- 
ing the desired results. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 93 

CHAPTER 24. 

SHOULDERS TOGETHER, 

So often we see individuals, groups, factions 
and cities, who are striving to accomplish some 
particular feat, but continue to meet reverses. By 
further analysis it is clearly discerned that there 
is no team work or shoulders together, and as long 
as this disorganized method is pursued they can 
never hope to attain success. 

We, as individuals and groups, must learn the 
lesson of cooperation — putting our shoulders to- 
gether in an organized way, and then things are 
bound to move. 

Since the great World War, there is preval- 
ent in America as well as in the whole civilized 
world, a spirit on the part of the minority to rebel 
and to rule or ruin. The thing that is needed great- 
ly and which would help various organizations and 
assist in stabilizing the governments of the world, 
is for the minority to learn to abide by the major- 
ity rule and to drink of the spirit of cooperation or 
act shoulders' together on all the vital problems 
which go to build up mankind. 



94* THE CALL OF LIFE 

CHAPTER 25. 

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. 

During the past few years there has been 
running rampant throughout the land on the part 
of certain individuals and groups, a system of de- 
structive criticism on practically everything that 
is good and best in church and state affairs. 

It is one of the easiest things in the world to 
criticise, and just anybody in the world can offer 
criticism, but it takes a real man to offer construc- 
tive criticism that is, criticism with a construc- 
tive remedy. Of course, we all believe in con- 
structive and wholesome criticism on everything 
which man has a part in making and maintaining, 
since man has never progressed to that stage of 
infallibility. 

What this set of professional critics need to 
do is to study their problems and grounds more 
thoroughly and in offering their criticisms, al- 
ways offer constructive remedies and when this 
is practiced, there will be less confusion, and we 
may expect our various machines to function bet- 
ter in the interest of humanity and the world in 
general. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 95 

CHAPTER 26. 

CHOOSING A NAME. 

Choosing a name is a very important step re- 
gardless of whether it involves individuals, com- 
panies, and partnerships, trade-marks, slogans, 
organizations, books, plays and stories. 

Individuals. 

As individuals we are not responsible for our 
own names regardless of how cumbersome, long, 
burdensome, or outlandish. Parents do not give 
enough thought to the naming of their children, 
and hence a child is loaded down with a heavy, 
long drawn-out name, which in many instances is 
quite a handicap all through life. 

How can a man expect his boy to have smooth 
sailing when he over-loads him with a name such 
as George Washington Conway Eberhart Waits, 
or his girl Sally Anne Jackson Waits. It is 
all foolishness to name children in such a way, 
and by no means should there be more than two 
names added to the surname. 

From the standpoint of being an asset, a real 
short one-horse name is probably the best, like 
"Fred Reid. " If you have not been giving much 
thought to the naming of your children, remember 
that you are not the only party to be satisfied in 
this proposition by just simply giving your child a 
pleasing fancy family name, but appreciate the 



96 THE CALL OF LIFE 

fact that the child when it becomes grown must 
battle against the competitive world with his 
name, and much depends upon the right kind of 
given name, and so often it develops into one of 
the greatest handicaps or greatest assets. 

From a non-mechanical standpoint we see so 
often people who have inherited a good name or in 
other words their parents and family had not only 
a good reputation, but real character. In this con- 
nection, many men are prone to not live up to their 
inheritance, and thus abuse the good name of 
their family, a thing which is very distasteful and 
deplorable. We should remember the Bible which 
says that, "A good name is better to be chosen 
than great riches/' and if this particular creed 
were lived up to, we would not see men tampering, 
trading and trafficing with their good names and 
characters. 

Partnership and Companies. 

In forming partnerships and organizing com- 
panies the name is a very important item, and the 
real and future success depends so often upon 
the proper kind of a name for the company in ques- 
tion. It is found to be very successful with many 
people to include their individual names into part 
of the company's make-up, and thus lending 
prestige all the more by their personalities. In 
selecting a company's name, of course, it is left to 
the discretion of parties concerned, but to include 
your individual name as part of the make-up, you 
will find it to have many beneficial by-products. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 97 

Trade-Marks, 

In choosing trade-marks much discretion 
should be used along brevity lines and to make 
sure that it conveys definite meanings. It is re- 
markable how some trade-marks have been fos- 
tered and the values they have attained over 
limited periods. For instance, it is claimed that 
the Royal Baking Powder Company considers its 
trade-mark worth approximately $2,000,000.00 a 
letter, and there are other trade-marks such as 
Kodak, Uneeda Biscuit, Ivory, and Coca-Cola, 
which have a value up into the millions. Thru 
constant advertising, these trade-marks have been 
indelibly stamped upon the minds of the people and 
to displace them would require competition of 
great magnitude and energy. A trade-mark is 
simply a symbol for good-will. It stands for repu- 
tation and is the link that connects the consumer 
with the manufacturer, preserving all the while 
the identity of the merchandise. 

Slogans 

In recent years and particularly since the 
World War, one of the interesting developments in 
the marketing of practically all lines of merchan- 
dise is the slogan idea used in connection with ad- 
vertisements. While some of these slogans are in- 
corporated in the trade-mark of the goods referred 
to and have been used for many years, others are 
independent of the actual brand or trademark, and 
sometimes used in conjunction with it. 



98 THE CALL OF LIFE 

These slogans have proven to be very helpful 
and beneficial indeed, and when properly con- 
ceived and put over either as a trade-mark or in- 
dependent, you will find it to be quite an asset to 
your business. 

Organizations. 

In selecting a name for an organization, much 
depends upon the type and character of the organ- 
ization or fraternity, lodge, etc. Usually the spe- 
cific type of organization is embraced in the name, 
but care should be taken to not have such a long 
name, making it cumbersome as with some indiv- 
idual names. 

Books, Plays and Stories. 

In connection with choosing a name for books, 
plays and stories, judgment along short lines 
should be used ; in other words, the names must be 
short and to the point, always conveying a real 
thought. As the headings of newspaper stories 
tell the whole story in two lines, so should the 
name of a book, play of story open up the field to 
the public to the extent of conveying a partial idea 
of the theme and creating a desire and interest to 
seek further and delve into the real story under 
cover. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 99 

CHAPTER 27 

JUMPING THE HURDLES 

We must not over estimate difficulties be- 
cause, to a resourceful person, difficulties are sim- 
ply hurdles. As the athlete trains on the grid- 
iron and racetrack from day to day, so will he be 
able to put up a strong fight in the game and be 
able to jump scores of high hurdles. In the same 
light as we train for our job and profession fitting 
ourselves and becoming more capable, so will we 
be able to surmount difficulties, jumping the hur- 
dles of life and gaining the added glory. 

So often we are prone to look at the other fel- 
low's profession, job or position, as being better 
and easier than our own. This is a delusion and 
false impression. No profession or job that is 
worth while is a "gravy train. " Hard work physi- 
cally and mentally, is the road that must be trav- 
eled to attain success in any profession. 

When we hear of the success of any man, re- 
gardless of vocation, we only hear the bright side 
of the story. Generally speaking, every man that 
has made his mark in this world, has had strug- 
gles in his day. Many times his path has been 
strewn with thorns and many times it led near 
the edge of the cliff. 

The fellow who withstands these reverses, 



100 THE CALL OF LIFE 

who comes again after his blocks have been 
knocked out, who perseveres to the last ditch, who 
exerts an indomitable will power, who never loses 
faith and resorts often to prayer, is the fellow 
who always jumps the highest hurdles of success. 



THE CALL OF LIFE 101 

CHAPTER 28. 

PLAN YOUR LIFE. 

The reason we have so many business fail- 
ures every year is that men have not a true hold 
on their business. They have no definite plans 
and know nothing of their exact status from day 
to day and week to week, but endeavor to do busi- 
ness on a hit or miss basis. 

The same thing holds true with the indiv- 
idual life. A person who never gives thought to 
his future well being, not planning any activities 
of his life's work, may never hope to be classed as 
a success. 

In the days of our youth we must begin study- 
ing our whole make-up with the object in view of 
choosing a career, planning our life work in a con- 
structive and definite way. We should set a goal 
from year to year with an ultimate end to be 
reached, writing out our plans in a notebook to be 
kept, if desired, in a private desk or trunk. You 
do not necessarily have to tell everybody about 
your plans and ambition, but it is good to con- 
verse with friends or those who have had much 
experience along the lines in which you are mostly 
interested, thus gaining many helpful suggestions 
and much valuable information which will be of 
incalculable assistance in solving your problems. 



102 THE CALL OF LIFE 

Now, if you are living this haphazard appar- 
ently happy-go-lucky, free life, turn over a new 
leaf; work out your specific plans, keeping your 
life's ambition recorded for at least twenty years 
in advance, and you may rest assured that you 
will be able to cope with larger problems, accom- 
plishing more and make a greater success of life. 



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